AIBU to question John Lewis advert and its message about women?

[Sheldonsheher]

John Lewis pushing this advert on my social media. Do they support oppression of women or is this a symbol of women’s right to choose .

John Lewis just want money, I doubt they care what it says a about women.

I agree with you though it’s horrible seeing women wearing this stuff, rooted in misogyny and no need at all

Who knew that in places like Blackburn where women walk around covered head to toe, that they were simply praying!

Pray as you walk! Pray as you swim! Pray as you sit on the till at Tesco's!

Just Praying. Well, I never. Blackburn must be one of the holiest places on earth...dummy!

If people find other people’s choice of clothing depressing, I think you need to get out more!

Goths are a group of people who choose to wear all black.

Was there a man involved?

Ridiculous post.

Nun's habits and 'clergy wear' are uniforms. John Lewis doesn't stock those for the same reason they don't sell police outfits or nurse's tunics: they're workwear uniforms, not

The clothes in your screenshot aren't workwear. They're clothes that some ordinary women choose to wear, for religious or cultural reasons.

Plenty of non-Muslim women, including women with no religion at all, choose to wear clothes that cover up most of their body.

If you'd been shown a picture of a woman in a prairie-style maxi dress with sleeves and a high neck, teamed with a hat, you wouldn't have batted an eyelid. You're just singling this out because it happens to be worn by Muslims.

The same came up on Facebook for me yesterday as well.

They are probably not wearing their prayer garb out and about but their chador.

My John Lewis adverts show me toys mainly. You must have been interacting with 'Muslim' words or phrases lately. Even if in a negative way. You get algorithms tailored to the things you interact with.

It really is completely different.

Ah, British clients. None of them could possibly require this garment, could they?

Came up randomly on my Facebook page too. Can’t say I’m bothered to be honest. Some women dress like that. On mine the next image along was the sort of summer dress that I do wear.

I'm more concerned about the pervy underwear adverts that I'm getting on this site.

oh god, the Falke ones with the exposed bum!

Not at the time she converted.

OP what is your background in terms of knowledge level of Muslims and Islam? And do you know many people who are Muslim/follow Islam?

The reason I ask is because I grew up in a heavily Muslim city and I had friends who held their religious choices close to their heart, wore these kinds of clothes when at college and they still do, and they are very happy to. It is part of their beliefs and history and lifestyle. I also have friends who did not want to do this. As with everything it is nuanced and people are different.

I say this because I worry about my friends and my home city community where Islamophobia is getting out of hand and so many broad brush comments are thrown about about how (for example) all Muslim women are oppressed, hate wearing this, die if they don't. But the truth is you're talking about lots of different Muslim countries that are often hugely different, often with grotesque govts whose actions actually disrespect what Muslim holy texts say yet the power of pretending it is religion is effective in subjugating and brainwashing people.

Please don't jump to conclusions is what I'm saying. If you're interested about Islam there are lot of good sources. It is not one dimensional.

Just to add a personal observation, all my Muslim male friends were observant so didn't drink or take drugs and as a result I was safe to walk home with them after any night out, they always got me home safe, were good guys and never had any interest in me as anything other than a friend (as I'm not Muslim). None of them could care less what I wore or what I believed either. We are all different and living side by side often makes everything pretty relaxed and accepting. But we need to understand each other. I don't want my friends to be targets of Islamophobia.

Well aren't you lucky living in the UK. It's disingenuous saying it's a choice when for millions of women it certainly isn't. Your "choice" is a validation of the idea women should be covered up.

Well that’s what some women wear isn’t it? John Lewis sell clothes so..
Besides stuff like make- up and heels isn’t that different really in terms of sartorial oppression.

Shocked at some of the stupid responses to this.

Women have NEVER chosen to wear this all black Demis Roussos style clothing, unless they were forced to by Men and religion. You only need to look at photo's of women in Iran, in the 70's to see that! They wore mini skirts, and t-shirts, just like in the West.

Women who wear these outfits are oppressed, but would never dare say it. How's about we speak out about this, instead of being woke eh?

How?

So the women you think are oppressed should be further oppressed by not having options for clothes that they may like and feel better in?

If you were born here and not into a Muslim family, you wouldn't be wearing these oppressive clothes. It IS men that have made you wear this, you just cannot see it as you have been so conditioned.

What do you make of single, European women with no Muslim family members who convert and embrace the wearing of the hijab and abaya?

Oh fgs (a) becoming a nun is a choice and a choice made by very, very, very few women. Christianity does not routinely require women who are Christians to wear nuns' habits (b) when did you even last see a nun wearing a full habit.

It's such a silly comparison.

This describes my daughter perfectly